Hose-coupling.



J. A. CUNNINGHAM. HOSE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE19. 1915.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

Witnesses .flgmf v. 1 y i Attorneys JAMES A. CUNNINGHAM, 0EINDEPENDENCE, KANSAS.

HOSE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915..

Application filed June 19, 1915. Serial N 0. 35 ,042.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. CUNNING- I-IAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Independence, in the county of Montgomery and Stateof Kansas, have invented a new and useful Hose-Coupler, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a connector for connecting the hosesections of two railroad cars, and aims to provide a novel and improveddevice whereby the hose sections are automatically coupled together whenthe cars are coupled, to thereby bring the pipe sections of the carsinto communication without manual attention.

The present connector embodies cooperating heads to which the hosesections are connected, novel means for guiding the heads into properabutment when the cars are brought together, so that the hose sectionswill be brought into communication, and means for yieldably andadjustably supporting said heads in order that they will properly meeteach other.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a hose connectorof the nature indicated, which is comparatively simple and inexpensivein construction, which may be readily applied to various freight carsand passenger coaches, and which will be thoroughly practical andefficient in use.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the im- I proved connector. Fig. 2 is aface view of one of the heads of the device. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectionalviews taken on the lines and 44, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is areduced fragmental elevation of the head.

In carrying out the invention, the adja cent ends of the two cars orcoaches each carry a connector or coupling head, and to this end clamps1 are engaged to the draw bars 2 of the car couplers, and have dependingarms or rigid hangers 3. Horizontal arms or bars 4, which project towardone another, are adjustably carried by the lower or free end portions ofthe hangers 3, the arms 4 being provided with a longitudinal serles ofapertures 5 through which bolts 6 are engageable, said bolts beingcarried by the hangers 3 for clamping the arms 4 to the hangers.

Coiled wire expansion springs 7 are mounted upon or surround the freeportions of the arms 4 and project beyond the free ends of the saidarms, the projectingor free ends of the springs 7 being secured to andcarrying the connector heads 8. The connector heads 8 are arranged in anupright position, and are adapted to abut against one another when thecars are coupled together.

As illustrated, the appliance is adapted for use on passenger coaches,which necessitates a plurality of connections being made, but it is tobe understood that the appliance may also be employed upon freight cars,as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Removable sections 9 rest against and are attached to the upper andlower ends of the heads 8, the sections 9 having portions 10 straddlingthe ends of the heads 8 and overlapping the sides of the said heads, andbolts or other securing elements 11 are engaged through the portions 10and take into the heads 8 for clamping the sections 9 to the heads.

The heads 8 each have a bore 12 extending therethrough, and the sections9 each have a bore 13 extending therethrough. The bores 12 and 13 of thetwo heads are arranged to aline with each other when the heads arebrought together, and suitable gaskets 14 are secured to or embeddedwithin adjacent faces of the heads 8 and their sections 9 at therespective ends of the bores, whereby the gaskets 14 of the two headsare arranged to fit tightly together to prevent leakage. N ipples l5 and16 are threaded into those ends of the respective bores 12 and 13opposite the gaskets 14, and the hose sections 17 and 18 are connectedto the respective nipples 15 and 16. The hose sections 17 are connectedto the train pipe sections of the coaches, while the hose sections 18are connected to the steam and whistle pipe sections, or other pipesections carried by the coaches.

Safety chains 19 are preferably attached to the heads 8 and to the sillsof the coaches.

In order to guide the heads 8 properly into abutment and alinement whenthe heads 8 are brought together, a plate 20 is secured to one side ofeach head 8 and is provided with an angularly extending wing 21. Thiswing 21 is arranged obliquely, and projects to one side, and is providedwith a V-shaped recess 22, the crotch portion of whichis arrangedadjacent the head 8. The recess 22 provides two arms 23, and the wing 21is provided with a relatively narrow slot 2% extending r'rom the crotchportion of the recess 22.

The head 8 carries an angularly extending rod 25 projecting obliquelfrom the side of the head 8 opposite the wing 21. The wing 21 and rod 25diverge from the face of the head 8, and the rod 25 is arranged directlyopposite the slot 24.

The guiding elements of the two heads 8 are reversed, due to the factthat the heads are disposed in opposite directions, and the wing 21 androd 25 of one head will cooperate with the rod and wing, respectively,of the other head, for properly guiding and holding the heads.

When the cars are separated, the heads 8 will be projected slightly dueto the expansion of the springs 7 and when the cars are coupled, theheads 8 abutting against one another will be moved against the springs 7to hold the heads 8 tightly against one another, and with sufficienttension to prevent leakage. The springs 7 also allow the heads to yieldin various directions, in order that the heads may be properly broughtinto cooperation. The arms a may be adjusted for adjusting the normalpositions of the heads 8 when the heads are released, in order that theappliance operates properly.

When the heads 8 move toward one another, the rods 25 of the heads willbe received by the recesses 22, and the edges of the arms 23 defined bythe recesses 22 will direct the rods 25 into the slots 24 whereby theheads 8 are alined with one another so that they will meet properly. Inthis manner, the heads are guided in a simple and effective manner intocooperative relation, and when the rods 25 are received by the slots 2&,the heads 8 will be firmly held in engagement with one another withoutthe liability of the heads oscillating or being displaced Copies of thispatent may be obtained. for

laterally. The diverging guide elements of one head in receiving theother head will also assist inswinging the heads into alinement, as willbe apparent.

When the device is used upon freight cars, the hose sections 18 are notemployed, and the sections or attachments 9 are detached from the heads'8, whereby the hose sections 17 only are connected.

The various advantages and attributes of the invention will no doubt beobvious to those skilled in the art, in view of the foregoing, ing, andfurther description is not deemed necessary. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1.: In a hoseiconnector, adapted to abut against one another, means foryieldably supporting said heads, detachable sections attached to saidheads and arranged to aline with one another, the

takenin connection with the drawa pair of heads I heads havingcooperating means for guiding the heads into abutment the heads andsections having bores adapted to be brought into communication, and saidheads and sections having means for the atwith one another, 4

tachment of hose sections thereto to communicate with said bores.

2. In a hose connector, a pair of upright heads adapted to abut againstone another, means for yieldably supporting said heads,

the opposite sides of the head having cooperating guiding means forguiding the heads into alinement when they abut one against the other,and detachable sections carried by the upper and lower ends of theheads, the heads and sections having bores adapted to be brought intocommunication when the heads abut against one another, and the heads andsections having means for the attachment of hose sections thereto.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

LEON HAAS, GLEN A. A LEN.

Washington, D. G.

